Mo Ziyuan
Mo Ziyuan (莫子渊, Mò Ziyuān) was Mo Xuanyu's younger cousin. Appearance Mo Ziyuan was at least seventeen at the time of his death. Novel, Chapter 4 He was described as "slant-browed" with a sickly looking constitution, Novel, Chapter 2 and a duck-like voice. After his death, he seemed to have aged twenty years and was reduced to a skeleton with sunken-in cheekbones, bulging eyes, and wrinkled skin. He was also missing his left arm. Novel, Chapter 4 Personality Mo Ziyuan was arrogant, childish, and ill-mannered. It is strongly implied that his mother Madam Mo, the leader of Mo Village, frequently reinforced this behavior.Novel, Chapter 4Novel, Chapter 2 He was raised to believe he had the potential and talent to cultivate, but that Mo Xuanyu's disgrace ruined his chances at becoming a cultivator. Resentful and vindictive, he would torment and humiliate his cousin on a regular basis. Novel, Chapter 2 He was hot-tempered, as he ignored his mother's warnings to behave in front of the members of Gusu Lan Sect, choosing instead to react violently to Wei Wuxian's taunts. Novel, Chapter 3 Ultimately, his jealousy and sense of entitlement to his cousin's belongings would lead to his death when he stole a spirit-attraction flag. History Mo Ziyuan was the only son of the first-lady of the Mo family, Madam Mo, and her unnamed husband. When Jin Guangshan brought his bastard son Mo Xuanyu to Lanling Jin Sect's Carp Tower to learn cultivation, Madam Mo hoped Mo Ziyuan would also have the chance to learn cultivation. After Mo Xuanyu was driven out in disgrace, the Mo family led Mo Ziyuan to believe that he would have been recognized by the sect if he had gone instead of his cousin – in other words, that his cousin had ruined his cultivation prospects. From that point on, Mo Ziyuan resented Mo Xuanyu. He frequently stole Mo Xuanyu's cultivation tools and cursed him for stealing his chance at cultivation. The day before Mo Xuanyu performed the Sacrificial Ritual to summon Wei Wuxian into his body, Mo Ziyuan once again emptied Mo Xuanyu's room of his belongings. The next day, Mo Ziyuan returned with two servants to break everything in the room. He yelled at his cousin for attempting to complain to Madam Mo and her husband. As a result, Wei Wuxian surmised that Mo Ziyuan was one of the people Mo Xuanyu wished revenge upon in exchange for yielding his body to Wei Wuxian's spirit. Wei Wuxian antagonized Mo Ziyuan in the main hall and accused him of thievery, infuriating Mo Ziyuan. Mo Ziyuan then attempted to kick the man he assumed to be his cousin, only to be thwarted by one of the Lan Sect's disciples. He became more incensed when his mother did not immediately punish Wei Wuxian to avoid causing a scene. Mo Ziyuan eventually swung a chair and chased his "cousin" until the Lan Sect disciples intervened once again. He swore to make his "cousin" pay for humiliating him. Mo Ziyuan later stole a spirit-attraction flag from the West Courtyard, despite Gusu Lan Sect's clear warnings that no one should touch any of their items. This spirit-attraction flag inadvertently lured the Demonic Left Arm, leading to Mo Ziyuan's untimely demise. After the arm slaughtered A-Tong, Mo Ziyuan's father, and Madam Mo, Wei Wuxian's wounds from the ritual healed, indicating that all four victims happened to be the four people Mo Xuanyu had wanted dead in revenge. Wei Wuxian then Mo Ziyuan's fierce corpse to attack the left arm before it killed more villagers or the disciples from Gusu Lan Sect, including Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi. Along with his mother, father, A-Tong, and the left arm, Mo Ziyuan's corpse was subdued by Lan Wangji's guqin Wangji. Novel, Chapter 5 Relationships Mo Xuanyu Mo Ziyuan resented his cousin and bullied him every two to three days by stealing and breaking his belongings, along with physically abusing him. The event that triggered Mo Xuanyu to complete the ritual to sacrifice his soul was Mo Ziyuan emptying Mo Xuanyu's room of nearly all his possessions. Madam Mo Mo Ziyuan was accustomed to his mother indulging him, especially in his actions against his cousin. She, in turn, viewed him as an innocent child despite his age, and was devastated upon his death. References Category:Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Deceased Category:Misc. Characters